A Frog's Kiss
by butterfly collective
Summary: This is a blurb based on "Deadly Fashion" and just borrowing the characters for fun.


Just a blurb. Hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading and the feedback.

* * *

She clucked softly to her buckskin mare as she rode across the meadow sown into a plethora of colors, oranges, yellows and soft browns all the way to the crystal blue lake. Matt had told her after they had wrapped up the murder investigation of a renowned fashion designer that he would be taking Christina riding. So C.J. had done what she had felt like doing which was to saddle up her favorite horse and ride off in the opposite direction, far away from Matt and the ex-flame he had fondly referred to as Squeaky to his Rooster.

Although C.J. had pushed for the info on the origins of those nicknames, Matt hadn't told her, he had just diverted talk to his beloved frog, Rupert. The critter he had so casually handed off to her when he had taken Christina for a whirly spin on his helicopter. If Rupert's heart had been crushed by Matt running off and leaving him, the frog hadn't betrayed any sign of that but C.J. did feel a little put upon to be left to comfort him before setting him back in his pond.

Christina had been the main suspect in this case and even though she had sported a rather impressive diamond on her ring finger, she had seemed to cling to Matt during the time he had been helping to clear her name and find the real killer. C.J. had caught her making eyes at her best friend and she just rolled her eyes wondering if her fiancé had any clue what she was doing on the opposite side of the country.

As C.J. rode on the narrow dirt trail on the _other_ side of the lake, she wondered if Christina was planning to ditch the senator she called her "prince charming" and try to rekindle the flame with Matt. And C.J. thought if that happened that he would probably go for it even throwing caution in the wind. If falling for a woman was like jumping out of a plane without a parachute, then apparently Matt would leap without thinking. He certain had in this case, averring that his ex-girlfriend had been innocent of murder even as she flirted shamelessly with him.

Even if it meant getting his heart broken by his Squeaky, he was just that kind of guy to take that risk with the woman that he wanted. She on the other hand tended to be more cautious with the men she allowed in her life to get close to her and she had been too busy working with Matt lately to have any time for dating. After all, just look at the cases which landed on their desks, all the friends they shared who needed their help to find missing loved ones and to be defended on murder charges. She had to cancel many dates to five star restaurants and the theater not to mention night clubs and rodeos to help Matt track down some lead or conduct some surveillance operation. Most of the men she dated just couldn't keep up with her demanding lifestyle and dropped out of sight.

In contrast, their investigation work seemed to draw women towards Matt in droves. She and Slim, his mechanic used to joke about it including how they would show up at the penthouse suite and he would be kissing a woman goodbye or soaking without a stitch on in his custom installed Jacuzzi.

The woman was flat out elegant, dressed in top of the line fashions and having adorned many a women's magazine and runaway. And Matt had apparently fallen under her spell, in front of everyone, so she had thought that this might be it, Christina might be the woman who roped him into a firmer commitment, after all they had been close to that point in the past.

She shortened the rein on her horse, looking out towards the expansive lake, which was so much so, she couldn't see where Matt and Christina had gone with their horses. For the best, she didn't really want to see them together. She felt a stab of something go through her just at the thought and forced it back, because why should she care who Matt wound up with at the end of the day or a case?

After all, they were just best friends, right and best friends didn't cross the line towards dating each other did they?

The lake appeared so calm and the ducks settled onto its surface. Below them, swam many fish, mainly trout. Perhaps Matt had taken Christina out to his favorite fishing spot in the cover, perhaps they were there now laying out the plans to their futures together. She had seen them earlier at the stable saddling their horses, a study in contrasts. He had been decked out like a cowboy, his horse wearing western tack while Christina had opted for the more refined English style. C.J. had shaken her head at the sight thinking certainly Matt could buy a clue that they really were two different people with very little in common, something which she had heard had factored into their last breakup. But she had so many qualities Matt searched for in his more serious choices, refinement, a calm demeanor and someone who made good stylish choices.

* * *

After the hot sun began to hit her back, causing perspiration in the back of her neck, C.J. decided to head on back trying not to think either of the arduous case they had just completed or Matt probably proposing to Christina, after all with their history why not?

She could see them walking down the aisle now, he in black tie, she in shimmering white down to her pumps. Promising to have and to hold each other in sickness and in health until death they do part and the rest of that script. C.J. proving to be the reliable old buddy of Matt by stepping in to be his witness even as Christina had made it clear that she considered herself C.J.'s superior. Heading back to the stable, she saw Bo and Lamar talking to each other, highlighting their words by waving their hands at each other.

She pulled her mare to a stop and dismounted walking towards them.

"What's up guys?"

Lamar looked up at her and smiled.

"We're ready to take on Houston's challenge to pit his sleepy old blue blooded frog against ours," he said.

C.J. arched a brow at his confidence level. But then again, Bo and Lamar's frog had put Matt's prize winning hopper to shame in several matches so far and Matt must have gone off and challenged them again. C.J. just hoped he didn't offer too big of a wager on it. Unless he or Murray had come up with ways to coax Rupert into doing the natural thing of hopping, Matt was sunk. After all, Murray had said himself that frogs only jump when hungry or escaping from predators and Matt spoiled Rupert rotten with succulent meals and Rupert seemed too laid back to fear anything.

So what did that leave and what chance did Matt's frog have in any competition?

"Guys…Houston's out riding with Christina so he might have other things he wants to do besides do a rematch with your frog."

Lamar looked at her as if she were daft.

"What do you mean," he said, "Houston returned a few minutes ago and he seemed a little down on the dumps but he didn't opt out of the frog jumping contest."

C.J. felt puzzlement fill her. What did they mean that Matt had returned to the barn alone without Christina?

"Christina left even earlier," Bo said, "She didn't look happy or unhappy, she just told us goodbye before she left."

C.J. wondered what the hell had been going on and whether that meant that Christina was still in the picture or not. Bo looked up at her.

"Well we're going to start the jumping contest over by the grassy area next to the pool," he said, "Are you going to join us?"

Suddenly an idea hit her.

"I will…just give me a few moments," she said, heading off in the opposite direction.

Both men watched her go, shaking their heads.

"Where's she gone off to," Bo asked.

Lamar shrugged.

"Hopefully to go get some money to put down as a wager but if she bets on Houston, she's just going to go back home empty handed."

She saw Matt sitting like he was down in the dumps, with his five o clock shadow, his tousled hair and his sexier than all get out cowboy outfit. He didn't even look at her, and then he flopped backward on the grass right next to Rupert who sat there next to him without moving away. C.J. always appreciated loyalty in any critter including frogs. She approached Matt with a burlap sack in her hand and sat down next to him, stopping to stroke Rupert's back.

"You came back alone…."

Matt's eyes popped open and when he saw her looking down at him, he sighed.

"Christina had to get back on the next flight to her fiancé."

That appeared to be all that Matt had to say on the subject. Clearly he must have cared deeply about Christina but was he all broken up about it that C.J. didn't see.

"You miss her don't you?"

Matt sat up at that point, looking over at her. She knew he thought about softening his words but he didn't do that.

"Yeah…but it never would have worked out," he said, "Still for a moment there, I thought…"

She knew he thought that they could overcome their differences if they just loved each other enough only it hadn't quite been love, as much as fond memories of the past they had both shared.

"It's her loss Houston…"

He smiled at her.

"Maybe it's both of ours but there's nothing to be done about it."

They both looked up and saw Bo and Lamar heading their direction, carrying their champion frog and smiling from ear to ear. They settled down across from Matt and C.J.

"Ready to get this started?"

Meaning was he ready to put up his frog and back it up with a bet. And what about her, she thought, well she was going to back a sure thing and that was Matt. Because after all, she thought with a smile, she had a secret weapon.

Bo and Lamar put down their frogs and Matt did with Rupert and they raised the bucket to start the competition. C.J. started immediately cheering on Rupert with her mouth and with her body. Matt couldn't bring himself to do anything but just sit there in a bit of a gloom while C.J. gave it her all to encourage Rupert to get moving and to jump.

Which he did, with one single and very commanding hop that when he finally landed, left Bo and Lamar there with their heads spinning. C.J. had waved her hands in the air declaring Matt the winner. That had been enough to shake him loose from his funk and he looked over at the woman next to him, not saying anything. She finally noticed that and just looked back at him in silence.

She had then pulled out a frog with a pink bow around her neck named Hildegard and had said that had been her secret weapon. Bo had immediately cried foul that she had used a female to lure a critter along but Lamar had said it wasn't against the rules. Matt had been nibbling on a long blade of grass reflectively and had gazed at C.J. in a way that caused warmth to flush through her and not from the afternoon sun.

"You're a pretty slick item Ms Parsons," was all he said.

But she felt a glow fill her anyway as she treated him to one of her smiles. Then she had said something silly like there had been an old adage about having to kiss a lot of frogs to find her prince. And after the words escaped her, she had wondered why in the hell she had said them. Would he tease her as he often did, would he think she had been making a play for him taking advantage of his dinged heart? She braced herself for either response.

But Matt did something unexpected. He moved towards her with his body, and brushed his mouth against hers ever so softly, like the wings of a butterfly. Her heart had skipped a beat in the split second she had seen it coming, that yeah he was going to kiss her and when he did…whoa…she had to remember how to breathe.

He pulled away again seemingly unaffected and was he aware of the effect the kiss had on her? Well for a moment there she thought maybe and wondered what might happen next as the world fell silent around her.

"Gribbit."

His eyebrows had waggled in that infuriating way of his that meant, yes he was joking and that it hadn't meant anything to her. She forced a smile on her face for a moment, before she got up and brushed the grass off of her jeans and walked away back to the ranch house.

He sat back there for a while watching her go, touching his fingers to his mouth so he'd always remember.


End file.
